18-year-old girl accused of livestreaming rape pleads not guilty

Marina Lonina is accused of livestreaming the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl.
(AP)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – An 18-year-old Ohio woman accused of livestreaming the rape of her 17-year-old friend with a social media app was trying to record the assault as evidence, the woman's attorney said Friday in a defense a prosecutor flatly dismissed.

Marina Lonina pleaded not guilty Friday to multiple charges including rape, kidnapping, sexual battery and pandering sexual matter involving a minor. A judge set bond at $125,000 for Lonina, a student at New Albany High School, outside Columbus.

Her co-defendant, Raymond Gates, 29, also pleaded not guilty, with a judge setting his bond at $300,000. A public defender representing Gates did not comment about the allegations.

Lonina and her friend — who attends the same high school — met Gates at a Columbus mall for the first time the day before where he bought them a bottle of vodka and encouraged them to meet him the following day, her lawyer Sam Shamansky said.